LA East Elite Event: 9021Pho

Amazing amazing amazing.
While I couldn’t bring a plus one, it was great to sit with new people and mingle over a course of dinner. We talked about so many random but interesting things like ramen choices in SoCal to people Unilocaling about prisons.
The food was really good! I got the phở ga (chicken phở), which had an incredible and savory broth. I was slurping it down to the very last drop. The owner even came out to talk to each one of us! Love the desert choice they had at the end of our meal. Some glutenous ballllsss!

Oh Katie, you spoil us so.
When I took a look at the menu and I knew instantly we were in on a treat. 3 course meal! WELL. actually it was like a 10 course meal or something because there were multiple appetizers and entrees and drinks (not the alcoholic kind). AND the menu was vegetarian/​pescatarian friendly! Katie knows me too well :)
I enjoyed the crispy fish, vegan spring rolls, shrimp spring rolls, my veggie phở, and the sesame ball dessert the most. No, I lied, I LOVED the rose-​lychee iced tea. That thing was like crack on ice. SO GOODDDDDD. Yea it’s just tea, but it was tea-​li-​cious!
Service was off the heezy with Andre hooking it up with packing up food we didn’t finish and snagging me a to go cup of the tea-​li-​cious Rose-​lychee iced tea ;) I didn’t lie when I said I loved that tea.
XOXO to my elite table: Matt P, Carol C, Lauren B, Christine A and all the rest of you lovely people. You know who you be!
*500^th review!

Thanks Katie B. for the fun event!
Likes: Crispy fish appetizer they came out with was perfectly crispy on the outside and warm and soft on the inside — delicious! Hot jasmine tea came out in a cute pot with fire underneath it to keep it warm. Shrimp and veggie spring rolls, big portion of beef phở, sweet chili chicken, lemongrass fish, white and brown rice, sesame balls that were chewy like mochi for dessert
Dislikes: Lemongrass fish’s sauce wasn’t that great — the fish should have had the sweet chili sauce on it instead.

unPHOgettable event!
This was my very first Unilocal Elite event, and I was so glad I came. I didn’t know what to expect and was so glad that my PHO-​riend, Ailyne H., was there to keep me company. I felt like a new kid, in a new town on the first day of Kindergarten. But my timidness soon faded after meeting the incredibly PHO-​ntastic CM Katie B. who welcomed me with open arms. Chef Kimmy Tang, welcomed us all with her fiery personalty and hair do to match. I was seated with fellow Unilocalers, who made this whole Unilocal Elite event suPHO-​erb (superb): Miguel R., Amy E., Carol L., Lauren P., Marthie D., and of course the lovely Ailyne H. But one person in particular rocked the night! Andre the server came full force with his charm, and PHO-​sonality!
Let’s get on with the PHO-​ood reviewing, shall we:
A scrumptious appetizer plate consisting of fresh rolls with shrimp, vegan spring roll, and crispy fish with tangy French aioli. The fresh roll with shrimp had a very clean, crisp taste. The vegan spring roll, had a nice crunch, and a perfectly light appetizer to get your palette wanting more. The fish, was probably my favorite of the three, nice light panko bread crumb coating which went well with the delicate flavors of the fish. The tangy French aioli was spot on for the fish, with hints of lemon zest and garlic.
For the PHO course, I chose the standard chicken (phở ga) over the beef. I was slightly startled by the large, make that PHO-​king large sized bowls. But you can’t scare me, I’m a big eater and welcome the challenge. ;) I liked that they used sliced white meat, and the vermicelli noodles were perfectly cooked. Now for my gripes. The chicken was over cooked (possibly from the broth), the soup itself was bland, even though I seasoned it with Sriracha, hoisin sauce, and fish sauce. The flavors just wasn’t there for me, and I didn’t even eat half. I felt bad for my fellow Unilocaler, who was experiencing phở for the first time and I felt this was not a good representation.
Despite the menu sitting in front of me, I was surPHOrised by the additional entrée course. A huge bowl of white and brown rice was accompanied by a plate of lemongrass fish, and a plate of sweet chili chicken. I tried the lemon grass fish and was delighted by the show casing of the lemon grass flavor, very aromatic. I was asked, «how’s the fish?» When I replied, «really good». Ailyne H. said, «wait till you try the chicken!» I took a bite of this lightly breaded chicken with an orange chili sauce glaze and PHO-​ireworks went off in my mouth. That was THEE dish of the night. Everything else was PHO-​rgotten.
Dessert was mochi type dessert with sesame seeds, very reminiscent of a Filipino dessert called ginataang bilo-​bilo. It had a sweet, but not overwhelmingly sweet taste. Perfect accompaniment of the evening, but I would have preferred perhaps a larger portion.
Beverage: I had root beer, and the lychee iced tea. It had soft hints of lychee, but I personally would have liked a little bit more than a «hint»

What a PHO-​freakintastic night!
Not only did I get to partake in some good eats (shout out to Chef Kimmy & her stylish ‘do) but service was bangin’ (thanks Andre, you rocked it! I appreciated his personable nature, his knowledge and passion about providing top-​notch service) and my dining compadres of the night were nothing short of amazing!
Glad to have met you: Miguel R., Carol L., Amy E., & Lauren P. and to have accompanied Christine A. to her first Y.E.E., schwing!
PHO-​rging into the magic of the night…
Everything was served family style except for our individual bowls of phở. Portions were beyond generous and we were stunned at all the good eats un-​PHO-​lding before us.
Appetizers included: fresh rolls with shrimp (good), crispy fish with tangy French aoli handmade sauce by Chef Kimmy herself (my fave of the lot) and vegan spring rolls (alright).
Each of us got to choose a bowl of phở: Phở Bo (beef) or Phở Ga aka bird is the word (chicken). I opted for Phở Ga as I always order beef on my own dime. The chicken was alright, a little bland but that’s probably because Chef Kimmy doesn’t believe in using MSG. The bowl size was a beast and I couldn’t eat the whole thing, I felt like a jerk for not finishing it — PHO-​real but luckily our server Andre massaged the guilt away and cleared our bowls to make room for the next round. I know you’re thinking, «My god, there’s more?» It’s true friends so adjust your belt buckles and read on if you want to PHO-​llow what came next…
Lemongrass fish & sweet chili chicken… family style. I started with a sample of the fish… good flavor, light and a great choice if you’re watching that girlish figure. Next I dared to make room for the sweet chili chicken… Craaaa-​ap! Are you kidding me? Immediately a party was taking place in my mouth and a mix of flavors were doing tiny little dance steps on my taste buds as if MJ himself was moon walking all over my tongue! Sweet, crunchy fried chicken goodness… yum. If you aren’t feeling carb/​calorie-​conscious, I would definitely recommend you order the chicken.
Fast PHO-​ward… dessert! Damn, jeans are getting pretty tight by now, but I persevered and managed to include myself in the delectable treat of the sweet sesame delight they served up. As Miguel R. put it: «. If you are not into Asian pudding style desserts this will not be tasty to you.» Well put, the only thing I can add is if you are picky on textures this one might be one item you PHO-​go.
We cleansed our palates with endless refills of Vietnamese iced-​coffee (not as strong as I hoped it would be) & rose-​lychee iced-​t (light & refreshing) to name a few…
Needless to say, I had a PHO-​nomenal time at this event. High 5’s all around to Katie B., Chef Kimmy, Andre & the rest of the staff at 9021Pho. I also got some free swag: Unilocal Life fingerless gloves. I am definitely about that Unilocal LIFE and am going to rock the hell out of these!!!
I ended the night with a famous Katie B. hug and bid my new friends PHO-​well, hoping to see these now familiar faces at the next Y.E.E. or sooner.
Until then friends, SYOY!

Drinking (tea), mingling, chit-​chatting & phở-​ing!
This event could quite possibly be one of my favorite events I’ve been to. Big round of applause to Katie B for hosting yet another amazing event. The past few events have been large, in charge with lots of people — however this is just what I needed. A solo event to mix and mingle with fellow Unilocalers. I had the pleasure of meeting a few ladies that I’ll hopefully see again soon (shout out to Gena, Carrie & Lisette!).
Phở is on my top 5 things to eat list, I just really can’t get enough of it. Another plus, this place was walking distance from my house — double win! Everything about this event was fun. The 2-​hour dinner was perfect — appetizers, selection of chicken or beef phở, entrée & dessert! Personally I only fancied the phở, but it was nice to try out their other menu items that I might have never ordered.
Our waitress was more than on-​point, she was amazing! So caring, thoughtful on top of her game! The owner came by to everyones table to say hello and answered any questions we had about the establishment. I visited the original 9021Pho years ago in Beverly Hills and am so happy to know there is one close by home — and better yet it’s consistent — same great taste! Did I mention their phở servings are huge?! The «small» can easily feed 2.
More great Unilocal Swag too — can’t wait to rock my «Yelp Life» cut off gloves. Thanks again to Katie B, the owner of 9021Pho & the staff. I highly recommend this place to everyone if you want amazing service and yummy phở. Enjoy!

Thanks to Andre, Chef Kimmy, and of course our outstanding CM Katie. B for a Phobulous night!
The Appetizer Course
Fresh Roll with Shrimp: not bad, refreshing and went well with the sweet chili
Crispy Fish with Tangy French Aioli: not bad, the aioli could’ve had a little more to it
Vegan Spring Roll: didn’t try :(
The Phở Course
It was my first time having phở and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I got the Phở Ga (chicken) and thought it was bit bland. I put in sprouts, mint, and a bit of fish-​sauce and still didn’t care for it much. I also didn’t care for the chicken in it either. It didn’t really have any flavor and was really tough. Who knows maybe phở isn’t for me.
The Entrée Course
Lemongrass Fish: good, I liked the lemongrass fish; it was simple and tasted light
Sweet Chili Chicken: recommend, the chicken was light and tender (easy crowd pleaser)
The Yummy Course
Sweet Sesame Delight: not bad, but not something I prefer. Personally, I can’t even compare it to anything because I haven’t had anything similar to it.
Drinks
Rose-​Lychee Iced Tea: recommend, that tea was delicious. Definitely, something I would drink every morning. It had a lovely after taste.
Staff
Chef Kimmy was so nice. She greeted our table, introduced herself, and was just a pleasure. Andre our server was very knowledgeable, helpful, and just overall a great addition to 9021Pho’s staff.
Overall
I had a great time at this event because I tried something new, made some new Unilocal friends, and to top it off got a coupon to comeback and try a few more things on their menu!

What a great event! It was nice to have be seated and actually have time to chat with fellow Elite Unilocalers in a quiet and casual setting. I arrived late from traffic, plus I was confused about it being «at the main entrance», but finally figured it out.
When I got there it was a cool and new type of atmosphere, love the color and décor. Definitely didn’t feel like the mall.
I missed out on the appetizer tray, but I caught the last piece of shrimp fresh roll, pretty good. I washed it down with some hot mint tea, the tea was good, seems they use good quality tea and it’s nicely presented.
Soon after I sat down I was brought phở bo (beef). I usually don’t add a bunch of sauces to my phở, just lime and herb garnishes, the broth here was very bland. They don’t use msg, but I guess it’s low sodium too? I wouldn’t suggest coming here for phở. Next up more food! The main dishes were my favorite of the night. Sweet chili chicken was lightly fried pieces of breast meat, really tender. Other dish was lemongrass fish, really great flavors and we actually had leftover that I took home for lunch-​it was even better the next day!
Food was plentiful, service was friendly and attentive – overall great event! Thanks Katie B. and 9021Pho

What a great event! I was especially looking forward to this because I’m a little behind when it comes to Vietnamese food. I lived in Seattle for awhile, which has AMAZING Vietnamese food, and since then I always just get vermicelli and spring rolls. I thought this would be a great way to try something new! This was also my first time rolling solo to a Unilocal!event, but I’ve learned Unilocalers are some of the friendliest folks around!
Loved the appetizers. Every single one of them.
So my table all seemed pretty experienced when it comes to Phở. Since I don’t eat red meat, I went with the Phở Ga (Chicken). I added some hoisin sauce, a squeeze of lime, and some leaves which I’m not 100% sure what they were. So good! I really wanted to ask for a ToGo box but didn’t want to look dumb in front of my new friends which was silly. As I knew we still had two more courses to go I opted to have as much of the broth as possible and go easy on the noodles and chicken. (Chicken was a little bland, rice noodles soaked up all that awesome broth and were hard to stop eating!)
Just had a few bites of the two entrees. The lemongrass chicken was tasty and refreshing. Loved the chili sweet chicken. It was like the Vietnamese answer to sweet and sour chicken.
Dessert was a little strange looking and prompted many inappropriate jokes, but those were some tasty balls!
Had a blast at our table where we got to discuss everything from Scientology, to Unilocaling prisons, to Southpark.
This restaurant has it going on, and I will be back Phở-​Sho! I think they do need to make it a little more prominent on the Unilocal!page and the website that they are located in the Fashion Square mall across from See’s Candies (and some new restaurant called Barney’s)! We can’t go if we can’t find you and trust me, people will be going here!

(Dined 02÷27÷13 W @ 6:30PM): Some phở you, and some phở me, we are one big happy Elite family!
I was honored to be accepted into the LA East Elite Event at 9021Pho in Sherman Oaks. I got off work early and hauled my arse to get into the REAL Valley (not «Awesometown» as they called the faux valley that was Santa Clarita; I worked up there but grew up in the Valley).
Inside the Westfield Fashion Square Mall near the Macy’s and Disney Store, I truly got excited as I walked along the sidewalk and saw the beacon of light which was their shining sign. Like a moth to a flame, I darted for it. I arrived a bit early so I helped our fearless CM, Katie B. with some set-​up. Soon enough, I parked myself at a table that included Gabriela G. a virgin Elitist, John K, and four lovely ladies who for the life of me I can’t remember their names right now (must’ve been the lack of alcohol).
The shindig started and I started with their sweet passion fruit iced tea ($ 3.25). This must’ve been nectar of the gods because over the course of the two-​hour event, I drank six glasses… and I didn’t have to excuse myself! I also sampled the Jasmine tea ($ 3.95) which was kept warm as the clear glass pot it was served in sat atop a tea light; very soothing, indeed.
The grub started coming fast and furious. First the appetizers — a sampling of crispy fish ($ 7.95), fresh rolls with shrimp ($ 7.65), and vegan spring rolls ($ 6.25). The fish was my favorite with its drizzled French aioli. I also added some chili sauce (as I do with almost everything). Then, the vegan spring rolls were so light and healthy with plenty of vegetables. Finally, the fresh rolls with shrimp were good but I would’ve liked the portion size just a tad bigger, but yummy nonetheless.
Then, we had a choice of phở (beef, chicken, veggie), and chose chicken ($ 8.95). Damn, when this thing came out, I thought it was for sharing. I could’ve drowned in the bowl things thing came in… or at least washed my face with, it was that big. Filled with copious amounts of rice noodles, onions, cilantro, and a healthy serving of chicken broth, they weren’t messing around. It was warm and extremely filling but I felt it could’ve used more chicken.
What, more food, you say?! Next was a parade of lemongrass fish ($ 14.25), sweet chili chicken (15.95), and a heaping bowl of both brown and white steamed rice to be shared family-​style. The fish was amazing and I honestly wanted it all to myself. The light crunchiness and tanginess was the best! I loved the presentation of the chicken served in what resembled a taco salad shell. It too was very good but I needed to spice it up a bit.
Last but not least was a sweet sesame delight dessert ($ 4.95). At this point I was stuffed. But I grabbed my spoon, scooped up a chewy sweet ball of something along with coconut milk and had at it. It reminded me of a Filipino dessert but couldn’t remember the name.
The service was incredible from start to finish, and Dre was da bomb! Sure, this was a private party but for some reason I felt their service was impeccable day in and day out regardless. Simply stated, we were watered/tea’d and dined!
Parking was ample and easy since you’re in a mall so park wherever! Or do as I did and park close to the entrance of the mall so you can make a clean getaway. Sure you had a bit of a walk, but always good to work up an appetite and work off the food (or drinks).
Overall, I’m not phở-​king around — LA East Elite Event at 9021Pho was phenomenal! I found very good value based on the prices and service I noted above (total bill was $ 0.00, but left a $ 10.00 tip), but I glimpsed at their real menu and very reasonable. The atmosphere/​décor was a nicely opened floorplan with indoor, outdoor, and mall patio dining areas with plenty of lighting (heat lamps outside). The kitchen was semi-​exposed which I always liked for some reason. Plenty of long wooden communal tables and chairs inside (I’m sure they were smaller tables pushed together), and I liked the wall that showcased paintings which apparently you were able to either purchase or bid on and proceeds went to a worthwhile cause/​organization (sorry, I can’t remember which one). I didn’t happen to notice any TVs. The attire was totally casual, so normally I’d be in a t-​shirt, boardshorts, and flip-​flops. And although the event was complimentary, they accepted my credit card of choice… AMEX!

I promised one of my fellow Unilocal Elite buddies that I will write something asap after tonight’s Unilocal event at 9021Pho. So here I go. haha.
It took me over a hour to get from the East Side to the North West Side of town. Yes traffic was horrible, but was well worth it at the event.
When I got there, the dinner has just started. I missed trying out the Vietnamese spring rolls since it was already consumed by the early birds, but at least I was able to try their egg rolls. Already I liked it since it was freshly fried and served with a sweet and sour sauce dip. I didn’t want to be rude to ask for the egg roll on the other side of the table… but thanks to Katie who got it for me since I was sitting right next to her. She’s cool. LOL.
I ordered the Phở Bo (beef) over the Phở Gah (chicken) because I wanted to compare it with the east side beef Phở. It was really good! The soup base was a little bland but still flavorful without the MSG per the manager. Only Katie had the courage to ask because the rest of us around the table was too scared. LOL. There was plenty of noodles in the large bowl along with two meatballs and some beef briskets. They also gave us a plate of bean sprouts and lime on the side to serve with the soup. Yes I did enjoy it.
Other parts of the meal was an order of lemon grass fish sauteed with onions, bell peppers, carrots, small corn, and a couple other items I can’t recall. There was also a lightly breaded chicken that was served with similar vegetables from the fish. I thought the fish tasted really good. It had the onion peppery flavor that I crave, and it was nicely stir fried. The chicken was breaded which was a little sweet with also a small kick in it from the chili. They were served with both brown and white rice in a large bowl for us to scoop. I liked it!
The dessert was a cup of mochi balls for all of us to try. We each ate one mochi which was delicious! It was a good size mochi ball stuffed with black sweet beans. With my sweet tooth, I wish I could have ate the whole thing! But of course we all shared it.
And to top it all off. I had an Iced Viet Coffee. Yes, the coffee was a bit strong… the way I like it. And it wasn’t that sweet… which was perfect. I couldn’t resist drinking one glass, so I had to ask for a second glass since the waitress asked.
Overall the service and the ambiance of 9021Pho was awesome! Our waitress was very attentive and gave us Grade A service. She made sure we knew what kind of food was coming out, and made sure our glasses was full. Good Job! The ambiance was very relaxing. The lights were bright, but dim enough to keep the atmosphere collaborating. I really like how they use empty green bottles as artwork on one wall.
Thanks for having us 9021Pho. I will be back soon.

Katie put a fun event together tonight phở sho. I must say it was photally awesome. Yeah it is phở pun time woo woo…
So being that is the basic trait… some favorite Phở names:
Phở King Awesome
Pholiscious
Photastic
Phở Company
9021Pho (the place we were at)
Phonomina
Phở Phun
Phở Shizzle
None the less, being it was a tasting event I was ready to taste me some foe =X Wow this was a much bigger event than I had suspected. We easily had 7 tables filled of 8+ Unilocalers so yeah we came in rollen hawt and ready… It seemed like everyone was in a photacular mood when I arrived.
Pro Tip: It was in the mall and no one knew it was in the mall haha
We had a trio of apps, spring rolls, fried rolls, and something else that I cant recall offhand. The Phở was chicken or beef (sadly no Phở Tai, my favorite, so I tried the chicken). The secondary main course was lemongrass fish and sweet n spicy breaded chicken. For dessert we had mocha balls filled with sesame seeds in warm coconut milk. I liked the dessert a lot! Most of the phood tasted to me like some kind of Vietnamese fusion or «amuricanized» viet grub. Personally, I prefer a bit more traditional style for Vietnamese.
I had a blast seeing a number of old and new friends here… Aren, James (wish I had realized that was you while we were there haha), Chi, Kimquyen, Andre, Alex, Choy, Bridgett, Jeff, Candace, Orsolya, Tim, Julie, Bryan, and a bunch of others… Also to the ladies at the «girls table», we are not all like what you have experienced of late it seems…
Overall I had a Phobulous time and it was very enjoyable to say the least. My Thanks to 9021Pho for hosting our crazy group of crazy cats…

Thanks so much 9021Pho and Katie B. for hosting such an awesome tasting event for us last night.
I’ve passed by 9021Pho a few times now as it’s in our home mall (Westfield Sherman Oaks Fashion Square) occupying the space CPK Express used to be, and I’ve wanted to check them out but hadn’t just yet… so what better time than with all my fellow Elites!
Being a Phở virgin, (while on the subject I learned it’s pronounced like «fu*k» minus the «ck» — Fah) I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect but I was happy with everything served.
The fresh roll with shrimp was my favorite appetizer, although the crispy fish with tangy aoli and vegan spring roll were good too.
I chose to try the Phở Ga (chicken) — after spicing it up with all sorts of goodies — it was really quite satisfying. HUGE bowl — I didn’t finish it all as I was getting super full and trying to save room for the entrée course.
The lemongrass fish was really yummy — perfect if you are eating on the light side, whereas the Sweet Chili Chicken (more sweet than anything) is a tad heavier and perhaps more filling.
I wasn’t entirely sure I’d like the dessert (mochi type balls filled with black sesame paste in warm coconut milk) sooooo not my usual dessert taste — but I told myself I was here to try new things and I did, very unique — I’ve never had any dessert like it before and it was honestly quite good.
This is a great little spot to grab a bite to eat if you don’t do the food court thing — which we usually don’t. Lovely addition to the mall.
Friendly service, and I LOVED the Jasmine green tea — the Vietnamese Coffee was also really great and I’m sort of a coffee snob.
Oh and hello! I finally scored some swanky Unilocal gear — the fingerless Unilocal LIFE gloves ;)
Fabulous event — very calm and well organized with friendly staff and food constantly coming to us — love it!
Also great to meet some other Unilocal friends in person. Thank you Jackie B. so much for my Portland visitors guide ;) It was a true pleasure meeting you and
Ron N. (so polite) and thanks so much for planting the Voodoo Doughnut seed in my head — I can’t wait to get there in May :) a Portland, Seattle, Vancouver trip is definitely a must! You all are amazing.

Can a Unilocal Elite event be fun without all the free booze? Why yes. Especially with good company and when there’s panko-​fried fish filets drizzled with a housemade spicy aioli (CRISPY FISH) and warm mochi balls filled with sweet black sesame and peanuts in a coconut milk pudding-​soup (SWEET SESAME BALLS) to eat and an awesome proprietary ROSE-​LYCHEE ICED TEA to wash it all down. My three favorite parts of our multi-​course tasting!
Admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of Asian fusion cuisine. Even though I didn’t love everything we ate, I’m glad I had the chance to try some of their offerings and will forever have fond memories of the items mentioned above.
The owner and staff were very warm and engaging. Chef Kimmy Tang came by our table to greet us and she is every bit the smiling lady you see in the portraits on the wall. I was impressed to hear that she travels between the various locations of 9021Pho and stays very hands-​on. Our server, Andre T, was pretty knowledgeable about the menu and is such a cool dude (and aspiring actor). Yay for hooking me up with some iced Vietnamese coffee and a sippy cup to take more iced tea to go!
Thank you Chef Tang, Spencer (manager), Andre and the rest of the staff, plus Katie B for welcoming us into this bright spot inside the Westfield Fashion Square!

Fast, greasy, dirty tables, unhealthy… those are generally the descriptive words I use to emphasize why I DON’T eat at malls. However, 9021Pho, Katie, and Unilocal introduced Elite Unilocalers to a new sit-​down establishment at Fashion Square with the soup we all know and love (especially on rainy days): phở.
9021Pho opened a East Side location in Fashion Square (NOT in the food court); emphasizing a modern Ikea-​esque interior with clean lines, bright colors, and a calming environment. You won’t be annoyed by pesty shoppers while trying to enjoy your Vietnamese dinner.
Unilocalers were welcomed to a 4-​course menu by extremely pleasant staff. I can’t emphasize this enough: the chef came and spoke to each table, the staff asked questions (to learn our feelings concering their new location and menu), were very knowledgeable, and VERY attentive. They were terrific, to say the least.
Opting for a Jasmine Tea served in a beautiful glass seeping pot (the tea was not too floral and had beautiful fragrant notes); I awaited the appetizer course of Shrimp Spring Rolls, Crispy Fish w/​French Aioli, and Vegan Spring Rolls. The Shrimp Spring Roll was lovely, fresh, and bursting with veggies (although a bit skimpy on the shrimp in comparison to other Phở restaurants). The Vegan offering was slightly too bland and crispy for my taste but not terrible. The Crispy Fish, although clearly not healthy, was delicious and complemented wonderfully with the aioli.
For the phở course, I chose Phở Ga (chicken) to switch up my usual beef. The soup bowl was dinosaur-​sized and could easily feed 2 – 3 people (9021Pho generally charges about $ 8 – 9). The broth was a good base for the condiment sauces and featured an ample amount of chicken although the chicken was more along the processed, thin route than chunks of fresh chicken. It wasn’t bad, and was VERY filling; but I regret not getting the Phở Bo (beef) instead.
The Entrée course featured Lemongrass Chicken and Sweet Chili Chicken (with choice of white or brown rice). The Lemongrass Fish was flaky and tender with chunks of green bell pepper, onion, and Spring Peas. I loved this dish! I would have enjoyed more lemon flavor but regardless it was light and flavorful. The Sweet Chili Chicken, served with onion, pepper, and carrot chunks tasted mostly like an orange chicken. The chicken pieces were HUGE and very tasty. Presentation of each offering was clean and ample.
Sweet tooth gnawing at your tummy? How about mochi balls filled with a black sesame seed paste in warm coconut milk? This was, by far, my favorite offering. It was amazing! I am Eastern European and it reminded me of poppy seed desserts of my childhood. The warm coconut milk base was delicious and the entire dessert was exquisite.
Again service was amazing, quick, and very attentive. There were no problems on Unilocal end’s either with check in or seating. The evening was zen, filled with laughs, and ran smoothly.
Overall, 9021Pho is suggested for a meal to fill that empty shop-​til-​you-​drop stomach when at Fashion Square and a great variation to Panda Express in the food court but not necessarily a destination restaurant, as it is slightly overpriced and very Americanized in comparison to the traditional Vietnamese Phở establishments in the Valley. Regardless, I am happy to know about it and was filled to the max with food. An excellent Unilocal evening! Well done Katie!

In many ways this was the best Elite event I have ever attended! However, it’s kind of very, very hard to beat Chaya Brasserie’s 2012 East Meets West event!!! Still, I got to meet four AWESOME Unilocalers (Ailyne H., Amy E., Lauren P. and Christine A.) and I got to meet one equally AWESOME Unilocaler I already knew virtually (Carol L.). Then, of course, it was great to see the one and only Katie B.- master of all things Unilocal in the East of our incomparable city!
We had the best server of the night, nay, of the year — some cool guy from Chicago. Not only was he funny and charming, he also knew his stuff — he is quite the menu PHOlosopher!!! Haha! Ladies and Gents, we left STUFFED and no one had to fight for anything! They started us off with great appetizers. Then came the phở. It was followed by truly delicious entrees. Last but not least there was dessert. No, that’s not it, we also got to wash it all down with great drinks.
We learned that Chef Kimmy travels from site to site to make some of the items herself!!! We got to meet her and boy is she a cool person! Love her pink bangs!!! Everyone that ran the show here had such a great attitude that there was no way this would be anything but an exceptional experience!
The décor of the restaurant is pretty cool. Nice warm colors on the walls and lots of eye candy on them. They have comfortable indoor and outdoor seating. The music was cool too.
Here’s what we got to enjoy this fabulous night:
Fresh Roll with Shrimp — Great!!!
Crispy fish with tangy French aioli — OK.
Vegan Spring Roll — Something for everyone!!!
Phở Bo (beef) — Not bad! It had meatballs and flank steak.
Lemongrass Fish — Tasty! Juicy fish with nicely stir fried green beans and carrots with a delicious lemongrass flavor!
Sweet Chili Chicken — The best dish of the night according to most of us!!! Breaded chicken cutlets with an awesome sweet chili sauce!!!
Sesame Delight — I loved it but one of us didn’t. If you are not into Asian pudding style desserts this will not be tasty to you.
We stayed a little beyond the 8:30 ending of the event and our servers were still offering us drinks! Then when we realized we had to return to the real world they gave us coupons for a free appetizer with the purchase of an entrée on our next visit! Thank you again to the 9021Pho team and Katie B. for a very well put together event!!!

Wow, I just got home and there’s already three reviews «phở» tonight’s event?!? Gotta loves elites! It’s truly a testament to what an amazing event it was… we just couldn’t wait to Unilocal!about it!
This is definitely one of my favorite events to date. I loved that there were no plus ones and we were seated at tables of about eight, allowing us to really get to talk to and meet some new people. Dinner conversation ranged from the Back to the Future re-​enactment (on November 6^th in Glendale, if you were wondering) to when it’s okay and not okay to find hair in your food. AND I was lucky enough to be seated next to the incomparable Katie B., and we got to have some of our burning questions about Unilocal!and how it all works answered. Plus she’s also just awesome and so much fun. :)
So, what was «phở» dinner?
To start — vegan spring rolls (soy ham, tree ear mushrooms, taro, jicama, shredded carrots, noodles and onions, wrapped in a wonton shell), fresh rolls (rice wraps filled with shrimp, jicama, cucumbers, shredded carrots, mint, and green lettuce), and crispy fish (panko filled fillet of white fish server with french spicy aioli).
We then got to pick between the phở bo (sliced beef, meatballs, beef brisket, onions and cilantro) or the phở ga (chicken breast, onions and cilantro). They also said that they could make something vegan for the vegetarians (how’s that for accommodating?). Each person got their own HUGE bowl of phở. I had the phở ga that was so delish I ate all my noodles (impressing my tablemates in the process). If I had known there would be the option to take it home, I might not have stuffed myself silly, but hey, how often does one get to go to an elite! event? Okay, pretty often, because Katie B. rocks, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. The phở was a little more bland than what you might find in, say, San Gabriel Valley, and we confirmed with the restaurant that it’s because there’s no MSG in it. More than a fair trade off.
As if that wasn’t enough food, they then brought out bowls of jasmine/​brown rice and plates with lemongrass fish (filet of white fish with bell peppers, eggplant, straw mushrooms, carrots, onions, baby corn, and tofu) and sweet chili chicken (lightly breaded chicken breast, bell peppers, carrots and onions).
Then there was, of course, a «yummy» part to the meal where we had che xoi nuoc (also called che troi nuoc and banh troi tau), sticky rice mochi filled with savory mung bean filling bathed in a sweet ginger sauce, served warm and topped with rich coconut milk reduction and toasted sesame.
There were also a variety of drinks (hot and cold teas and coffees) to choose from. I opted for the passion fruit iced tea which was so good that I had like 3 glasses… possibly more. hard to keep track since they were good about constantly refilling my glass.
90 210-​Phở is definitely more of an upscale fusion-​type Vietnamese place so don’t expect the same types of things you’d find in an «authentic» Vietnamese place. But they have some really unique and interesting things on their menu and I’m looking forward to going back and trying some other things. especially since we left with a coupon for a free appetizer!
Thanks AGAIN Katie B, for another un“phở“gettable event and for being such a fun dinner companion! Oh, and love my new Unilocal!fingerless gloves!

This is not a traditional Vietnamese restaurant if you’re expecting food similar to Phở So 1, Phở 79, and Phở 999. I would classify this as more Vietnamese-​fusion (or Vietnamese inspired Cal-​Asian cuisine) and is a great way to discover the flavors of Vietnamese cuisine.
For more info on the chef and what they describe as Vietnamese cuisine with a French and California twist, click here –
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Description of their food from their website:
«9021Pho is a casual service restaurant inspired by Chef Kimmy Tang that offers a Vietnamese centric menu with a French and California twist. Our restaurant is centered on providing a new and exciting menu selection focused on healthy choices. We offer our guests a dining experience in a relaxed atmosphere coupled with great food and a carefully selected variety of California and French wines at an incredible value.»
I now understand the inspiration for the food and how the restaurant is inspired by her design background, training at Chinese and Japanese restaurants, and global influences during her travels.
The difference between this place and the above-​mentioned phở restaurants is the beef is not served rare in the soup. The flavor of the broth is good, with a hint of something slightly different. The noodles here are not al dente and were more soft than traditional Vietnamese restaurants. They are not trying to be traditional here, but more chef’s take on modern Asian cuisine. The more I understand about her influences, the more I can appreciate the experience here.
The two entrees we tried from our dinner menu reminded me of Chinese food, rather than some of the dishes I’m accustomed to eating at Vietnamese restaurants. A plus for those that are diabetic or health conscious, is that they have brown rice available to order, which was probably the best brown rice I’ve ever tasted. If I asked for brown rice at a traditional Asian restaurant, they would probably look at me with a look of disgust (which has happened before at an Asian restaurant when I asked for it).
They will definitely cater more to those that live in the area with its hip and trendy atmosphere. I can appreciate how they are bringing phở (and this upscale Pan-​Asian dining experience) to the mainstream as they are rapidly expanding throughout LA.
One of the beverages they offered us was a lychee-​rose iced tea which I enjoyed as it was very unique to this restaurant. I also enjoyed the flavor of the lemongrass flavored fish appetizer they served as I’ve never tasted anything like it before. The dessert was a sweet mochi ball which reminded me of ginataan (Filipino coconut soup dessert). The food was plentiful and I was already stuffed after finishing my bowl of phở.
Inventive cuisine and excellent service is the top reason to come here as most Vietnamese restaurants, service is non-​existent. It is also a definitely a place to take those who are new to Vietnamese cuisine or appreciate a more aesthetically pleasing atmosphere. I appreciate the attentive service, friendly staff and the kind Vietnamese owner/​chef who came over to greet and check on us. I really hope they keep the service levels up as that is what is very important to me when I come back.
I always enjoy these Unilocal events as I get to meet some nice mostly Asian people (inside joke) who share a love of food. We were able to share some of our favorite places to eat in LA and our favorite buffet in Las Vegas. Shout out to my new Unilocal friends — Lana, Kevin, and Allen.
A very special thanks goes to the entire crew at 9021Pho for providing all of us with a great dining experience, especially because of the attentive and caring service.
Thank you so much Katie for hosting this awesome dinner and introducing us to 9021Pho!
I definitely wouldn’t mind returning again to try some other dishes and is a welcomed addition to the mall as it provides a change of pace from the typical mall food-​court-​food.

An Elite event on my birthday? DON’T MIND IF I DO!
Hats off to 9021Pho for the tasty eats and drinks. Thanks for putting together another humdinger, Katie!
I got there a bit late, but luckily Schel H. saved me a seat. Additional elite-​mates joining me in the festivities tonight included Bryan Y., Choy L., and Julie H. We had a few more friends at our table, but I have horrible eyesight and could not see their names. Sorry! I think I remember a Corey, though!
As soon as I sat down, I was greeted with an appetizer tray. There were a few things like eggrolls and fried things, but I thought the spring rolls tasted the best.
Second course was phở. Most of us got the chicken phở, and the rebel Choy got the beef phở. It was all pretty standard Vietnamese fare. No disasters noted! Honestly, this was my first chicken phở experience as I have always ordered beef. I liked it, but the noodles were overcooked for me. I like mine al dente.
The entrée included sweet chili chicken and lemon grass fish with a side of jasmine or brown rice. I found both dishes to be light, but tasty. Definitely not the greasy pan-​Asian food you find everywhere else.
The dessert included these sesame, sweet balls swimming in coconut cream. It was interesting to say the least, but I wouldn’t mind trying it again. Would go great with some hot, black tea. Sorta reminded me of Din Tai Fung’s taro dumplings.
The service was impeccable in every way. So great that I’m shaking just thinking about it all.
Or, maybe it’s from the 36 ounces of iced Vietnamese coffee I crammed down my esophagus.
I guess we’ll never know!

This has to be one of my favorite Unilocal Events to date.
Because tonight was a sit down dinner, we truly got to talk to our table-​mates! And of course, share knowledge on recent Unilocal discoveries and brag about foodie orgasms!
Cool Unilocal memorabilia just waiting to get grabbed and rocked by Elite Unilocalers! Yes I’ll take some Unilocal gloves to match my Unilocal sweatbands, watch and shot glasses from previous events!
The tasting menu was extensive and included not only three different appetizers that were phở-​nomenal, but also a large bowl of phở before the entrée! Golly! So much food! The entrees were a sweet chicken and a peppered fish dish served with a choice of brown and white rice.
Just when you are stuffed and can’t fit a grain of sugar in your tummy, the servers brought out a most delicious traditional dessert drenched in coconut milk that couldn’t be resisted even if belt buckles were being undone and belly buttons were starting to pop out!
Because so much food was served, most of us got to take our left-​overs home for lunch tomorrow or as a gift for our significant others who were pissed they could not tag along as our plus ones to this one.
Meeting Chef Kimmy was an incredible honor and made the food taste more like ‘home’
Dre was our kick ass server and drinks were always filled with wide selections iced teas, hot teas and of course the staple fountain drinks.
The fact that they did not yet have a liquor license meant we were all sober and truly conversing with one another.
This was such a treat! I will certainly come back.